April 13, 2010
John 5
Pastor John Edwards
It’s a sinister, full-frontal offensive. It’s relentless, with destruction as the goal. Yet it’s deceptively subtle. In fact, you’re experiencing it even as you read this.
This attack of the enemy takes place in what we often call the “pace of life” - somewhere to go, something to do - expectations, deadlines, demands.
In the midst of that daily, ruthless assault, it’s easy – tempting, in fact – to “compartmentalize” our relationship with Jesus Christ. Part of the enemy’s attack strategy would have you and I “park” our faith-focus until the next Sunday morning, Monday night, Wednesday night or some other designated time when we “go to church”.
In John 5, we read that the Jews confronting Jesus didn’t celebrate the miracle of a 38-year invalid walking among them. Instead, their focus was upon life’s calendar: “So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him.” (verse 16). Yet Jesus’ response held potential to rescue them from that temptation to limit God: “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” (verse 17)
Those words can rescue you and me too. In the midst of life’s distractions, a God-focus keeps these truths before us - He is ever-present, all-knowing, never-changing…always desiring relationship with us.
As we approach our daily life-priorities, the best defense against the enemy’s distractions is a good offense: “I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains. He won't let you stumble, your Guardian God won't fall asleep. Not on your life! Israel's Guardian will never doze or sleep. God's your Guardian, right at your side to protect you - shielding you from sunstroke, sheltering you from moonstroke. God guards you from every evil, he guards your very life. He guards you when you leave and when you return, he guards you now, he guards you always.” (Psalm 121, The Message).
Did you know that Pastor John walks around with surgically-reconstructed Achilles tendons in both legs? Each happened while playing slow-pitch softball, six years apart.
